Felt inspired to write a Thanksgiving 2011:
Part Two to highlight some of the downright sucky things that happened this year, for which I am also grateful. Based on my closer in the last post, that I’m grateful for everything even the sucky stuff because it all teaches us and helps guide us to our path and ultimate happiness and peace… yeah, figured it would be cool to highlight some stuff that from the outside might appear not to deserve the same thank you.
1. The tax audit.
Hooooooly crap that sucked. Hahahaha! But really I’m glad it happened because now I know what to do if I ever have to do it again. My fear is gone. On top of that, the IRS came back to me and essentially said, “Yup, your life’s legit.” This is HUGE! And I never would have known this without pushing through the torture of the audit. That giant disorganized pile of receipts and paperwork paid off. Now I can move into growing highcomms with full confidence. So incredibly grateful for that. I’ve always joked that one of my future books will be titled, “My Whole Life is a Write-off,” and here we are.. it is.
2. Overbooking, overwhelming.
Yeah, I’ve written about this phenomenon before, and the long and short of it is simply this: Overbooking myself to the hilt allowed me to have a zillion experiences this year that I wouldn’t otherwise have had (see: 100,000+ miles on Delta). For those, of course I’m grateful. On the sucky-has-value side of things, anytime we choose one thing, we box out others… we miss out. So for the stuff I missed and was sad I missed, I’m grateful to have learned I want more of that goin’ on this coming year. For instance, on my last few trips of the year, I found myself missing home more and more.. as if I’d reached my being-gone quotient for the year. I really felt it. Not that I didn’t enjoy those trips, I absolutely did.. I’m just glad they showed me where I lose balance. I’m glad I lost balance so that I now know how to create balance. Or at least have a better idea of how to create balance. Now, I’m going into next year making even more conscious choices about my travel work commitments. Maybe I’ll visit a few less drop zones in place of a few more weekends at home and writing here. For the stuff I missed that I’m not sad I missed, well, same deal. That too shows me more consciously what I want in my life and what I don’t. If I didn’t miss it, I probably don’t need to spend a whole lot of my time and energy trying to make it happen. For that education, damn… super grateful. I mean, what are we all trying to do, right? Figure out what makes us happy, what makes us feel peaceful, what makes us feel alive, etc, and then effect the ideal combination of all those things. Hahaha… yeah, it sounds pretty ridiculous to me too, but f*ck if I ain’t on the hunt! 😀 So I suppose my gratitude lies in the hunt… with the experience and learning we get to find along the way… my brother and nephew would be stoked.. they’re currently sitting on watch too. (See the pic below)
3. Insanity.
Um, I can tell you without any waver in my voice that doing Insanity was not awesome. It’s HARD. It’s 95% of the time not what I want to get up and do at 4am before organizing all day at the drop zone I’m visiting. Sh*t, I don’t want to get up and do it at home in my living room when I can totally lounge the rest of the day! But I did it. I do it. Why? Well, again, I enjoy the intensity of things, and what really immersing ourselves in that type of commitment can ultimately teach us. With Insanity, it actually taught me that I really LIKE getting up early. That I CAN dig deeper. It taught me I HAVE TIME. Blasted that old time story right out of the water. I do have time. In fact, I love getting up early and enjoying some pure alone time where I do something for me and only me. Huge. Love, ShaunT!!!!!!!! Hahahaahaa, yes! Super super insane, super super grateful.
As with the other post, I’m sure there’s plenty more to write about, but I’ll keep this one shorter and sweeter. Just thought it was a great follow-up point, and a good thing to show that my life isn’t just dewdrop-covered roses.. I have crap happen all the time just like anyone else… I suppose I’ve just had more practice in seeing the value in the crap. Or more intense practice. Hmm.. either way, it actually goes back to the very first life coaching column I wrote for Blue Skies Magazine a year and a half ago, “Crap Is Awesome.” The crap is our opportunity to learn and grow.. and since I love learning and growing, I swear I get half excited anytime something sucky happens. It’s a simple shift in our way of thinking, and my guess is the more we look for the silver lining, the more we’ll all see it, and come Thanksgiving 2012, the more gratitude we’ll genuinely feel in our heart.
What happened to you this year that at the time was soooooo not awesome, but now in hindsight you can see the value that came from going through it?
What did you learn? I want to hear. 🙂
Thank you for reading, everyone. For you…. I’m grateful.
xo
